All posts tagged: Cambodia

My 5 Favourite things about Cambodia

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Cambodia is often overlooked in favour of its heavy hitting neighbours Thailand and Vietnam, but the Khmer Kingdom is an amazing holiday destination. I spent almost a month exploring the country and I can’t think of one thing I didn’t enjoy! With gorgeous beaches, delicious cuisine, a burgeoning economy and genuinely friendly people eager to welcome tourists, Cambodia should be your next Asian holiday destination! Awe Inspiring Temples The iconic, sprawling complex of Angkor temples was voted the world’s No. 1 site by Lonely Planet and it’s not hard to see why. Exploring the world’s largest religious site is an otherworldly experience but be prepared to battle the crowds; last year over 2 million tourists visited the 1,000 year old temples!  Don’t miss Ta Prohm, aka the Tomb Raider temple, or Bayum (below). Chilled out Siem Reap The nearest town to the Angkor Temples, Siem Reap is a laid back traveller’s hub. Skip tacky pub street and spend your time scouring the markets for souvenirs, exploring the meandering streets and sampling Cambodian cuisine. For an …

#RetreatLife: Yoga in Bali & Cambodia

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I took up yoga a year ago, looking for a slightly gentler form of exercise to do on my ‘rest’ days. Some people get hooked on yoga; I didn’t get hooked exactly, more pissed off that I wasn’t very good at it. I wanted to improve so I developed a bit of a yoga habit quite quickly! Yoga is a great form of exercise for when you’re travelling; it’s easy to do solo with no equipment and there are also classes everywhere. Last year, I did yoga classes in 6 different countries! I also went on two yoga retreats; one in Bali in April and one in Cambodia in November. They were both quite different experiences. A yoga retreat is a great idea for a short break in its own right or as a break when you’re travelling long term. But each yoga retreat is different and you need to find one that suits you and what you’re looking for. This is my take on the two I experienced. Blooming Lotus Yoga, Ubud Bali I absolutely …

14 weeks, 5 countries, 2 continents: My Flashpacking adventure

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Flash-What? Flashpacking! It’s backpacking but fancier. A new travel term coined for millenials who mix high and low end experiences to create a more authentic way of travelling. The Numbers 14 weeks, 5 countries, 2 continents, 13 flights, 11 buses, 8 ferries, 7 cities, 3 beach towns, 2 islands, 1 yoga retreat The Route Dublin- Abu Dhabi – Hanoi – Halong Bay – Sapa – Hoi An – An Bang – Ho Chi Minh –  Phnom Penh – Sihanoukville – Siem Reap –  Bangkok – Krabi – Railey – Koh Lanta – Ao Nang – Phi Phi – Bangkok – Brisbane – Shannon The Highlights Brisbane, Australia I went to Australia solely to see my brother Rory, his beautiful girlfriend Rachael and meet their almost 2 year old son, my nephew Lachie. It’s not that I didn’t want to explore the country but budget/time wise, it wasn’t realistic so this was a ten day, Christmas/family visit to finish off my trip. After almost 13 straight weeks of solo travelling and all the planning, organising and …

Love Letter to Cambodia

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  I loved Cambodia from the first rain soaked evening I arrived in its rambling French colonial-era capital Phnom Penh. Coming from the craziness of Vietnam, where crossing the street means taking your life in your hands, I appreciated its laid back, easy going charm. People are different and so are travel experiences. I’ve heard some negative reports about Cambodia, but I can honestly say it was one of the best countries I’ve ever visited and somewhere I’d love to return to. The month I spent there can be summed up as: temples, yoga, beach, food, coffee, wine. AKA heaven. A word on the food; Cambodian food is often lessened when compared to the cuisine of its neighbours, Thailand and Vietnam. But I though Khmer food to be delicious! Their way of making curries reminded me of Malaysian cooking, delicately layered spice that’s tastier than just firing in chillies! Also, the French influence means there are some fantastic French restaurants. Try Le Cyclo in Phnom Penh for Bouef Bourginon followed by chocolate mousse! This is …

National Trauma, Collective Memory & Recovery: Vietnam & Cambodia

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Vietnam and Cambodia are two beautiful and fascinating countries to visit. I was greatly intrigued by the recent violent histories of both countries and how the path to recovery seems to have led Vietnam and Cambodia in very different directions. Politically and economically, these  differences are glaringly apparent- Vietnam technically remains a communist country and is an Asian economic powerhouse; Cambodia has a complicated, ostensibly democratic though often corrupt government with an economy which has failed to match that of its neighbours. But even for the most casual visitor, uninterested in politics or economics, the differences and the impact they’ve had on the national psyche are clear to see. Here, I look at how Vietnam and Cambodia’s recovery from national trauma can be interpreted through one particular lens- that of their attitude and view of foreigners and tourists. The first surprise I had in Vietnam was the abruptness and at times, downright unfriendliness, of the people. As someone who’s enjoyed many a good bowl of pho on London’s Kinsland Road, I was expecting the same …

Absorbing Trauma through Writing and Walls

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As I wandered the grey, damp prison complex,through endless cell after cell, huge blown up pictures hanging everywhere, desperate eyes watching, I began to  tap lightly on the inside of my left wrist with my right forefingers. Victims of unlawful imprisonment, torture, rape and summary executions looked at me and I tapped, tapped, tapped. Some had tears in their eyes, some were smiling as though it might elicit some bit of sympathy from their Khmer Rouge captors. The sun outside was shining, heat beating down onto this beautiful green city but inside there was a damp chill, a cold that crept up and down my spine. I started to feel the breath catch in my throat and so I tapped and tapped on my wrist and kept walking and didn’t stop looking, at the bloodstains still unwashed from the red brick walls 30 years later, until I felt like I could breathe again. The tapping is a trick. It doesn’t help of course but when your chest tightens and you feel like you can’t breather, …